The whale watching tour was amazing! We go to see about 13 whales bubble net feeding, it was…read moreunbelievable. We also saw several otters and sea lions. Captain Denise was knowledgeable and thoughtful in sharing information about Hoonah. Annalisa, the naturalist on board, was very knowledgeable about the whales. We learned a lot! The boat was clean and comfortable. Our 5 year old and 7 year old loved this tour.

Somehow, I managed to book the wrong tour. I thought this was a walking/hiking tour to look for…read morebears, but it turned out to be a three-hour drive in a van with limited space, windows that did not open, and was either too hot for some or too cold for others. The driver/tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable. Unfortunately, at best, some of us saw the rear end of a bear running off the road into the bush. The rest of us saw nothing. There were some eagles at a distance and a buck far, far away. We stopped several times and spoke to other van drivers, and it seemed like sightings that day were very infrequent. While it's not anyone's responsibility (tour company or cruise line), it would be helpful to guest comfort if we were reminded to bring bug spray with us when leaving the ship. After we took the tram to the waiting area, everyone was eaten alive while waiting for their next mode of transportation.

Went on one of their tours. Best experience on our trip to Alaska. Stu - our guide - went out of…read morehis way to ensure we saw bears and other wildlife. He's brilliant in his knowledge of the area, the animals, the surrounding environment and the history of the area. Can't recommend highly enough!

We booked this tour rather than the bear tour through the cruise ship excursion. We spent ample…read moretime at the river where bears feed. There were still a few salmon but, apparently, it was too late in the season for bear activity as we did not see a single bear. Our guide, Stu Mills, went out of his way during the 3.5 hour tour to drive around to spots where bears might be found. Still no bears. However, Stu is a native of Hoonah and he educated us with endless stories about his life, family, native culture, local plants and vegetation used for medicinal purposes (the Devil's club ointment really works!). While the bears were disappointing, Stu's expertise made the trip very much worthwhile.

Hoonah, Alaska was one of our stops on our Alaska cruise trip. Before our private whale watching…read moreexcursion, we took the public bus into the small downtown area of Hoonah. We came across Misty Bay which offers lodging, a casual restaurant, and whale, fishing, and bear watching excursions. We had lunch at the order at the counter restaurant and had the following: (1) Fresh Halibut & Chips My fish was grilled & served with french fries. I must admit that I wanted my traditional battered & deep fried fish & chips. Although my halibut was fresh, it was also dry and just OK. (2) Cheeseburger &Fries Hubby and sonny boy both ordered the burger dish and both were satisfied. The Misty Bay Lodge restaurant offers a casual atmosphere, friendly service, and "A-OK" food. 3 Stars

We booked a whale watching tour with Misty Bay on our honeymoon to Alaska. Hoonah proved to have…read moresome great whale watching! We saw plenty of humpbacks, sea lions, orcas, deer and a pack of bears! We were so lucky to see the bears, according to the captain. He made sure to stop so we could snap some photos. It was worth every penny. After the tour, we returned to Misty Bay Lodge for lunch. They advertise what they are serving that day as a special, while they also serve whole pizzas and pizza by the slice. Hoonah is a small place, so your options are limited for dining out. It appears that locals and tourists eat here daily. Hope (the owner) was a great host. She answered all of our questions about the area. She suggested that we split an order of fish and chips (fresh halibut!) for lunch and she was right- it was plenty for both of us. We each enjoyed Alaska APA and amber ales. So good. And I'll admit it- I never watched Alaskan Bush People, but now that we are home we have watched a couple episodes just to see Hoonah and Misty Bay Lodge! Pretty cool.

I'm not surprised to see they have a perfect 5 out of 5 star rating on Yelp…read more I'll add five more stars to it! This trip was amazing, one of the best highlights of the cruise. The crew is so passionate and well informed about all of the wildlife (whales, bears, eagles, etc - we saw them all). It was almost a spiritual event. Couldn't recommend enough!

We booked this whale watching though our cruise ship and it did not disappoint…read more The crew was amazing. Gave such great information. We saw humpback whales, Stellar Sea Lions, porpoises, harbor seals and even a couple of bears! It was a great day out on the water in Icy Strait Point!

Our whale watching tour with Hoonah Whale Tours was one of the absolute highlights of our Alaska…read morevacation! From the moment we booked, we could tell they genuinely cared about their guests. What impressed us the most was how incredibly accommodating they were. Since we had to return to our cruise ship on time, they contacted other passengers and adjusted the tour schedule so we wouldn't have to worry about missing our ship. That level of customer service is exceptional and gave us great peace of mind. The tour itself exceeded our expectations. The captain is friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about the local wildlife and the Hoonah community. We were incredibly fortunate to see whales, orcas, bald eagles, sea otters, and sea lions--all in one trip! The captain made sure everyone had a great view while providing aome information about the animals and surroundings. They also provided complimentary snacks, which was a thoughtful touch and added to the overall experience. Knowing that Hoonah Whale Tours is a family-run business made the experience even more special. Their hospitality, professionalism, and genuine care for their guests truly set them apart. If you're visiting Icy Strait Point or Hoonah, don't hesitate to book with them. It was one of the best excursions of our Alaska cruise, and we would absolutely choose Hoonah Whale Tours again!

I cannot say enough great things about this experience. Captain Joardan was amazing at getting us…read moreclose to humpback whales and 2 Orca whales. Lots of other wildlife was seen as we cruised out along the coastline. His better half picked us up to take us the short ride to his boat. She happens to be an amazing baker and had fresh blueberry muffins made with wild blueberries they pick! Our boat had 6 of us so allowed us to move freely. I get motion sick and it was super smooth as to not cause me any concerns! Book directly with them vs thru second party. I have sent many people their way and would definitely book again if ever back in Alaska.

Absolutely recommend doing your whale watching tour with Catch of the Day!…read more They take smaller groups which allows you to get some really great photos and to chat with the knowledgeable crew about the area. We got to follow a humpback right away and also saw some bears on the shore which gave us bragging rights when we got back. Plus they pick you up in a LIMO! What a fun extra touch. I get sea sick very easily on smaller boats and I didn't have any problems on this ride. Thanks so much to the Catch of the Day team for such a memorable experience!

This was such a great trip! We saw a humpback within minutes of leaving the harbor. Then they…read moregot word in a pod of Orcas so we went there. We stayed for quite a while and had orcas surfacing all around and very close to the boat. On the way back we passed a group of sea otters, were successful on a bear hunt and a huge bald eagle. Great trip. Great crew!

THIS IS THE TOUR TO TAKE! LOCALLY owned and operated! They…read moreare natives and know the land in and out and where to go and not to go. They know the history in depth, they grew up here! We had the most amazing time and my kids have been non stop talking about the whole experience. They took use to get local berries, we saw grizzlies and the most amazing views. They are the nicest couple and I wish they lived closer so we could have them over for dinner. You don't find people like them anymore. If you are going to spend money on a tour, look no further, please, this is the one! 10/10 ! We will be back and we will do it again!

This was the absolute most amazing excursion we did while on our Alaskan cruise. John and Marilyn…read moreare natives of the island and could not have been more knowledgeable about where to go and what to look for. They are true EXPERTS of Hoonah. They gave us so much information during the excursion that we left with not only seeing multiple bears, it also with so much new knowledge about Alaska, their culture, the wildlife, the history of the land, and everything in between. They brought us to eat wild berries, took our pictures, and most important put on the bears! We felt 100% safe with them. My one animal I wanted to see was Bear and they made sure we did it! They went above and beyond and I could go on forever.

Everything went well. Captain seth is very attentive and helpful. And being on smaller boats makes…read moreit so much more personal. He was delightful and kind and tried really hard to find animals for us.

What an amazing experience to have your own personal chartered boat in Icy Point Strait. It is…read moreworth every to have the opportunity to venture in any direction the wildlife might be. We weren't on the boat 10 minutes and saw various Bald Eagles. A few more minutes and there were two bears foraging on the shore line. Seth was able to bring the boat up close enough for a great vantage of these majestic creatures. We then continued to explore the ocean for humpback whales... and there were plenty! Numerous pods of these magical mammals surrounded us for about an hour. On our return of the voyage we passed sea otters and a group of sea lions lounging on a buoy! Captain Seth was a sheer delight to work with coordinating our trip. The images we captured will remain in our memories for a lifetime!

Greg is great! It is clear that he knows the area and cares about the bears. We were lucky enough…read moreto see a mom and her 3 cubs and another adult fishing for Salmon in the evening on 8/27/25. We loved being able to be a part of a smaller tour group too!

From the owner: This is your rare chance to view Alaska Brown bears on the remote road system just outside of the…read moreVillage Hoonah Alaska.